Picture hanging system for stretched artist canvas hung without a frame

ABSTRACT

A picture hanging system for stretched artist canvas intended to be hung on a wall without a frame, comprising a frame support means attached to the inside of the wood frame upon which said artist canvas has been stretched, and a specially designed hanger intended to support said picture when it is hung on a wall. Said hanger is attached to a wall by means of a nail passing through holes in said hanger, said nail driven into said wall at an angle. Said hanger has a sloped “ramp” upon which said frame support (and with it the frame to which said frame support is attached) rests when said picture is hung on a wall. When said hanger is attached to a wall, said ramp slopes toward said wall. Said frame support (and with it the frame to which said frame support is attached) will slide by force of gravity toward said wall and said picture will come to rest flush and flat against said wall. The picture hanging system of the present invention functions in such a way that, when a picture for which said picture hanging system has been used to hang said picture on a wall, there is no space at all between said picture and said wall. Said picture hanging system may be manufactured in metal or in plastic, and it may also be adapted for use with objects other than pictures, where it is desired that said objects, when hung on a wall, rest flush and flat against said wall, with no obstruction whatsoever from the hanging hardware.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to picture hanging hardware and systems,specifically to hangers and hanging devices used to hang stretchedartist canvases on a wall.

2. Description of Prior Art

Paintings on stretched canvases with no staples on the edges—just cleancanvas—have become very popular because they can be hung without frames.Often, the artist will paint the edges, either a continuation of theimage on the face of the canvas, or just a compatible solid color.

Hanging such canvases without a frame isn't always a matter of savingmoney. Sometimes, especially with contemporary subject matter, theartist simply prefers to show his or her work without a frame. He or shejust likes the look of it that way.

Conventional picture hanging hardware and methods are inadequate forthis special type of art. Conventional hardware (hooks or hangers)attached to the back of a frame takes up space, and thereforenecessarily force the hung picture to lean away from the wall at the topof the picture, at least to some degree. This is aestheticallyundesirable. Many people, in an effort to have the picture rest flushand flat against the wall, for purposes of a more desirable appearance,have resorted to simply driving nails into a wall, and hanging thestretched canvas on the nails. This is precarious at best The picturecould easily be dislodged—by bumping, for example, or even by justslamming a door. The falling picture could cause damage—to itself, or tosomething it strikes when falling, or it could even cause injury if itfalls on a person. A personal experience with a falling canvas led toour decision to design a proper hanging system for this type of art.

The system we envisioned would not only support unframed canvas art, itwould ensure that the picture when hung would, for best aestheticappearance, rest absolutely flush and flat against the wall—would notlean out from the wall even a little bit; as it does with conventionalmeans and methods.

PRIOR ART

We conducted a search to see if there were such a system already in themarket that we hadn't heard about We did find a hanger called E-ZHANGER, marketed by Jerry's Artarama, designed for stretched canvases.But this hanger still allows part of the hanger to separate the picturefrom the wall. Further searches in the marketplace did not turn up anyhardware or system to accomplish the objective stated above in theparagraph beginning, “The system we envisioned . . . ”

We researched patents in the classification in which supports/picturehangers/picture hooks are listed (Class 248, Subclass 489). We looked atall relevant patents all the way back to U.S. Pat. No. 28,174 issued toH. Hochstrasser for a Picture Hanger in 1860. U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,761issued to Wassell in 1987 discloses a system called a “Picture WallHanging Assembly,” in which one hardware component is attached to thewall and a second hardware component is attached to the back of apicture. In the hanging of a picture, the picture hanging hardware takesup space between picture and wall, and the hardware components actuallyprevent the picture from resting flat and flush against the wall.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,802 B1 to Munson et al. (2001) discloses a hangersystem having a bubble level insert Its primary purpose is to insurethat objects hung with the system will be level. In this system thecomponents engage one with the other when an object is hung. Onecomponent is attached to the object to be hung, the second component isattached to the wall. When so attached and engaged in hanging, thecomponents insinuate themselves between the object, such as a picture,and the wall. Therefore, a picture hung with this system cannot restflush and flat against the wall as called for in our objective as statedabove.

The following patents were reviewed for their possible relevance in thepresent context: U.S. Pat. No. 1,887,159 (1932) to Knight; U.S. Pat. No.2,330,373 (1943) to Moore; U.S. Pat. No. 2,453,467 (1948) to Smith; U.S.Pat. No. 2,791,051 (1957) to Scheyer; U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,761 (1987) toWassell; U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,139 (1994) to Barnes; U.S. Pat. No.6,053,468 (2000) to Francis; U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,478 (2000) to Barnes;U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,802 B1 (2001) to Munson et al.

None of the hangers disclosed in the patents mentioned above, or inother patents that were reviewed, would make it possible for a stretchedcanvas to be hung so that it would rest absolutely flush and flatagainst the wall, with no space between the picture and the wall, withno obstruction whatsoever from the hanging hardware.

The company which we believe invented the technique for stretchingcanvases across a wooden frame in such a way as to show no tacks orstaples on the edges is Fredrix. It is this development that has made itnot only acceptable, but often desirable, to hang such canvases withouta frame. In addition, the cost of framing is avoided. The use ofpre-stretched canvases has become increasingly popular and the marketfor them has been growing substantially. However, there has not untilnow been a means to hang these canvases so they will be flush and flatagainst the wall for best aesthetic appearance. The need for a hangingsystem which can accomplish this result has become apparent.

While there are other companies producing such canvases now, Fredrix isthe largest. In researching the marketplace, we felt that if a specialhanger were available to hang stretched canvases without a frame so thatthe picture would rest flush and flat against the wall, it would belikely that Fredrix would know about it. When we asked at Fredrix ifthey knew of a special type of hardware to accomplish this, their vicepresident for sales responded. He told us he did not know of any. Hesaid his wife is an artist and has sold quite a few paintings done onpre-stretched canvases intended to be hung without a frame, and a numberof them hang in his house. He said he just uses a nail with a flat,oversize head, something like a roofing nail, and he gouges out theframe and the nail head fits into the notch he has made. A crude means,he agreed, and one hardly to be recommended for the general marketplace.But, he said, he knew of nothing better, and agreed there is need for aproper hanging method.

Ordinary picture hooks used in combination with wire or cord attached tothe frame by means of screw eyes or other hanging hardware force thepicture away from the wall at the top, preventing the picture fromresting snug and flat against the wall. This is aestheticallyunattractive for canvas art hung without a frame. The simplenail-in-the-wall means of hanging is risky, insecure, even potentiallydangerous. The hangers found in our patent search did not achieve theresult we were looking for. We therefore set about designing a systemourselves. The system we designed is the subject of this patentapplication.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

As stated in the foregoing discussion, our objective was to design apicture hanging system for stretched artist canvas intended to be hungwithout a frame such that, when the picture is hung, it will restabsolutely flush and flat against the wall, will not lean out from thewall even a little bit (as it does with conventional or available meansand methods). Thus hung, the picture will look aesthetically its verybest. This objective has been achieved in the hanging system of thepresent invention

SUMMARY OF OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

The objects and advantages of our invention are summarized as follows:

-   -   (a) to provide a hanging system for stretched artist canvases        which will make it easy to hang the picture on a wall so that it        will rest absolutely flush and flat against the wall, will not        lean away from the wall even a little bit (as it does with        conventional means), with nothing whatsoever intervening between        the picture and the wall when the picture is hung;    -   (b) to provide a system which is simple in concept, easy to        understand, and easy to use;    -   (c) to provide a system which can be used effectively for        canvases stretched on various sizes of wood frames, from small        to large, and in a variety of shapes and dimensions;    -   (d) to provide a system with components which are easy and        inexpensive to manufacture and which can be sold at retail at a        modest price;    -   (e) to provide a system with potential appeal to artists, art        galleries and museums, art schools, art associations, and        dealers and distributors of artwork and pictures for home and        office, dealers in art supplies, installers of artwork and        pictures, as well as, importantly, buyers of pictures and        paintings on stretched canvas intended to be hung without a        frame, including buyers for homes, offices and public places or        wherever such artwork may be hung; and    -   (f) to provide a hanging system potentially adaptable to the        hanging of objects other than art work and paintings on        stretched canvas, where it would be desirable that the object        rest flush and flat against a wall.

SUMMARY—A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a picture hanging system designed especiallyfor the hanging of stretched artist canvases on a wall, such that thepicture when hung will rest flush and flat against the wall, with nospace intervening between the picture and the wall, with no obstructionwhatsoever from the hanging hardware. The system comprises twocomponents, a frame support attachable to the wood frame underlying thecanvas, and a hanger, attachable to a wall, upon which the picture orpainting may be hung.

DRAWINGS DRAWING FIGURES

In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number butdifferent alphabetic suffixes.

FIG. 1A is a plan view of the Frame Support as cut out of flat sheetmetal, before bending at 17.

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the Frame Support after bending at 17.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the Frame Support in its preferredembodiment, attached by screws to the inside of the top horizontal framemember of a wood frame upon which canvas has been stretched.

FIG. 3 shows three different perspective views of the Hanger in itspreferred embodiment, with key parts of the Hanger identified andpreferred dimensions called out.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a Frame Support attached to the insideof a wood frame near one corner, and also illustrating how the FrameSupport rests on top of a Hanger, the Hanger shown in the position itwould be in if it were attached to a wall.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the wall side of a wood frame underlyinga stretched canvas, illustrating an alternative means of hanging thecanvas on the Hanger; in this case a pan head screw has been insertedpart way into the side of a wood frame (the vertical frame member)underlying a stretched canvas, the pan head screw then resting on top ofthe Hanger when the picture is hung.

FIG. 6 is a view of the back (wall side) of a wood frame of nominaldimension, to illustrate the recommended positioning of the FrameSupports, inside the frame, near the corners, thus to provide stabilityof the picture when hung.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

13 the part of the Frame Support that rests on the Hangers

14 protrusion or “stopper”

15 location of screw holes

16 front edge of Frame Support that aligns with wall side of frame

17 90° bend

18 sloping ramp (inclined plane)

19 shoulder

20 wall side of Hanger

21 nail

22 wall side of wood frame supporting stretched canvas

23 inside of vertical frame member of wood frame

24 inside of top horizontal frame member

25 No. 2 pan head screw serving as frame support

27 point of Hanger farthest from wall when picture is hung

28 ⅝″

29 1½—length of Frame Support

30 ¼″

31 ⅜″

32 ⅛″

33 small radius

34 5/16″

35 1¼″

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The picture hanging system of the present invention comprises twocomponents: a Frame Support, which, in its preferred embodiment (FIGS.1A and 1B), is attached to the wood frame underlying a stretched canvasby means of screws provided; and secondly, a Hanger (FIG. 3), which, inits preferred embodimentis nailed to a wall by means of nails provided.

In describing the application of the system components, it would behelpful, first, to visualize the object intended to be hung on a wall,namely a stretched artist canvas, the canvas stretched over a woodframe, rectangular in shape, the wood frame made of what are usuallycalled stretcher bars. The stretcher bars as presently marketed arecommonly, in cross section, one of three standard sizes: ¾″×1½″, or1½″×1½″, or 1½×2″. In each of these sets of dimensions, the seconddimension would be the surface that goes against the wall. The FrameSupports are attached to the inside of the wood frame, the part of theframe that does not touch the wall, as illustrated in FIG. 2. For thesake of the stability of the picture when hung, two Frame Supports arerecommended for each picture, positioned inside the wood frame near thecorners, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

A key point to be made in this connection:

It is the placement of the Frame Support inside the wood frame thatkeeps it from touching the wall when the picture is hung, and insuresthat the picture will rest flush and flat against the wall, with nothingbetween the picture frame and the wall, with no obstruction whatsoeverfrom the hanging hardware.

Referring again to FIG. 2, it will be seen that there is a notch at thebottom of the Frame Support The portion of the Frame Support that willrest on the top of the Hanger is identified as 13 in FIG. 2. The notchhas created protrusions (14 in FIG. 1B) at the bottom of the FrameSupport. These protrusions serve as “stoppers” to keep the Frame Supportfrom sliding off the Hanger either to the left or to the right when thepicture is hung, which might be caused by bumping, as from a personwalking by the picture.

Positioning the Frame Supports in attachment is easy to do with thescrews provided. The front edge of the Frame Support (16 in FIG. 1B) isaligned with the inside edge of the wall side of the frame, asillustrated in FIG. 2. Positions are marked and screws inserted.

It is recommended that two Frame Supports be used for each picture, inorder to provide stability when the picture is hung. It is recommendedthat the Frame Supports be attached to the wood frame at the ends of thetop horizontal frame member, near the corners. Placing the FrameSupports near the corners has the further advantage of making it easy toplace the frame on the Hangers in hanging the picture.

The Frame Supports in their preferred embodiment are made of bendablesheet steel, approximately 20 gauge, and coated in bright zinc or brass.

The Hanger—the Second Component in the Present System

The Hanger, illustrated in FIG. 3, is nailed to the wall The Hangers(two for each picture are recommended) are positioned on the wall tomatch the spacing of the Frame Supports attached to the picture to behung. The picture with Frame Supports attached is then simply hung ontop of the Hangers.

The Hanger, in its preferred embodiment, is formed out of flat bendablesheet steel of a gauge deemed appropriate to support the potentialweights of pictures to be hung, the metal coated in zinc or brass.

There are several features of the Hanger design that should be pointedout The first feature is the sloping surface which we call the ramp (18in FIG. 3). The ramp is sloped toward the wall at an angle of at least15° from horizontal. The purpose of the slope: when a picture is hung,the Frame Supports are placed so that area 13 in FIG. 2 comes intocontact with the ramp, and by force of gravity slides down the ramptoward the wall, until the picture comes to rest against the wall, whichis the objective of the design.

A second feature of the Hanger is the shoulder (19 in FIG. 3), whichserves to keep the Frame Support from slipping off the Hanger when thepicture is hung.

The third feature to be mentioned is the dimension which may beidentified as the distance between the wall side of the Hanger (20 inFIG. 3) to the point that is outermost when the Hanger has been nailedto the wall (27 in FIG. 3). This dimension is ⅝″, which will insure thatthe Hanger, when nailed to the wall, will not touch the canvas which hasbeen stretched on the wood frame, since the thickness of the wood frameunderlying the stretched canvas is at least ¾″.

Operation —Preferred Embodiment

It is surprisingly easy to install the present system, and then toposition the picture exactly where it is wanted. Once one has done it,or has seen it done, the system and its installation will seem almostobvious, and it won't be necessary to refer to directions anymore.

In reading this section, it will be helpful to refer to the accompanyingdrawings.

In order for the Hanger to serve the purpose intended, there needs to bea means to support the wood frame upon which the canvas has beenstretched. If the picture is to hang flush and flat against the wall,the Frame Support and the Hanger must both be inside the frame, not onthe outside surface that touches the wall, when the picture is hung.

In putting into operation the components of the present system, twoFrame Supports (FIGS. 1 and 2) and two Hangers (FIG. 3) are recommendedfor each picture. The two Frame Support are positioned as describedabove on page 9, and attached by screws provided to the inside of thetop horizontal frame member, near the corners, as shown in FIG. 2.

Assume one is hanging a picture (canvas stretched on wood frame), say24″×30″, oriented with the 30″ dimension horizontal. Having installedthe Frame Supports, one measures the space from the middle of the leftFrame Support to the middle of the right Frame Support Assume this spaceto be 25½″. The Hangers are placed and spaced on the wall to match theFrame Supports In this case the Hangers will be placed 25½″ apart andnailed to the wall.

The Hangers are attached to the wall by means of nails of appropriatelength (supplied with the Hangers) The nails are driven into the wall atan angle, the angle controlled by holes which have been cut in theHanger in pre-selected locations, and through which the nails pass asthey are driven into the wall. The angle of the nail as it enters thewall is such that it provides strength to the Hanger and its supportingcapability, while also preventing the nail, and hence the Hanger, frompulling out of the wall when the Hanger is supporting the weight of apicture. This angle is similar to the angle designed for the nails usedwith traditional picture hooks as they are attached to a wall.

It can be seen that the Frame Support can move horizontally on theHanger a little distance to the left or to the right before beingstopped by the protrusions or “stoppers” (14 in FIG. 1 B). This leewayallowance in the hanging system means that measurements (for placementof supports on the frame and placement of the Hangers on the wall) donot need to be precise. Yet, with a little care in measurement for andin placement of the Frame Supports and the Hangers, precise placement ofthe picture on the wall can be achieved.

It may a be noted parenthetically that for quite small canvases, e.g.,where the top horizontal frame member is, say, 10″ or less, a singleFrame Support placed in the center of the upper horizontal frame member,may be sufficient In such case, of course, only one Hanger is used. Thefact that the hanger has a flat surface, and that the part of the FrameSupport that rests on the Hanger is straight and horizontal, means thateven using just one hanger, the small picture will hang straight on thewall. However, for most canvases two each of the Frame Supports andHangers are recommended to provide maximum stability for pictures whenhung.

Alternative Embodiments

An alternative means of attachment of the Frame Support, may beconsidered, and that is attachment by means of strong adhesive insteadof with screws. The adhesive that might be used is similar to theadhesive commonly used to attach hooks to walls. Since the typicalstretched canvas is relatively light in weight, and the stresses on thehanging hardware encountered in hanging such artwork are low, attachmentof the Frame Support by adhesive might be an alternative to consider.This means would make attachment of the Frame Support quicker thanscrews. However, the uncertainty of stability and security of thiscomponent if attached by adhesive, the uncertainty of proper anddependable adhesion, makes this alternative less attractive. Hence, itis not a preferred embodiment.

Another alternative means of attachment of the Frame Support would be bysharp prongs at the ends of this component, designed as an integral partof the Frame Support in manufacture and intended to be driven into thewood frame. However, it is always possible that for some reason onewould want to move or remove the Frame Support. This would be moredifficult with the prong-attached component than with the same componentattached with screws.

Another Alternative Embodiment

Both the Frame Support and the Hanger could be made out of plastic bythe injection molding process. There would be some modification inproduct design, but the functionality of both components if made inplastic would be comparable to that of the parts made in metal. Cost ofmanufacture would be the primary consideration in the choice of thisalternative.

First System of Its Kind

In addition to its effectiveness in performance, there is substantialadvantage in the fact that the system of the present invention is thefirst and only system we are aware of that accomplishes what we havestated as our objective in designing it (see second paragraph on page2). It is simple in concept, easy to understand, easy to use,inexpensive to make and market, and very effective in keeping the canvaswhen hung snug and perfectly flat against the wall—with no space betweenthe picture and the wall, with no obstruction whatsoever from thehanging hardware.

Operation—Hanging A Picture Using the System, Described in Detail

First, bear in mind that the objective is to position the Hangers on thewall to match the position of the Frame Supports which have beenattached to the wood frame upon which the canvas has been stretched.

Measurements should be reasonably accurate, but they do not need to beprecise. The hanger system allows a little leeway.

As a first step, we measure the distance between the Frame Supports,which have been attached to the wood frame, measuring from the middle ofthe Frame Support on the left side of the wood frame to the middle ofthe Frame Support on the right side of the frame. Using the examplesuggested earlier of a frame measuring 24″×30″, with the 30″ dimensionoriented horizontally, let us assume that the space between the twoFrame Supports measures 25½″. The Hangers will be placed on the wall25½″ apart and nailed to the wall.

Next we simply hang the picture on the Hangers, making sure the FrameSupports are placed on top of the Hangers, on the sloping ramp. TheFrame Supports, along with the picture to which they are attached, ofcourse, will slide down the ramp toward the wall until the picture comesto rest snug and flat against the wall, just as intended.

While it takes many words to describe in the abstract the steps to betaken to attach the frame supports and the hangers in the proper manner,and then to place and hang the picture, it is a fact that with theactual hardware in hand and with the aid of brief directions anddrawings, it is really quite a simple matter to understand this systemand put it into use Once done, directions will no longer be needed.Those to whom the system has been shown confirm this.

Manufacture

While models and prototypes of the hanger and the frame supportdisclosed herein were made by a metal fabricator in the U.S., it isanticipated that production quantities will be manufactured in Asia,where costs are much lower. The project has been discussed with aqualified Asian manufacturer from whom quotations have been received.

Prototypes in the preferred embodiment of both the hanger and the framesupport were made in the dimensions shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 from 22 gaugesheet steel, zinc coated. It is obvious that the hanger could be made ina different gauge, in different dimensions, in a somewhat differentshape, while still not departing from the essential principle and spiritof the basic design as described above and illustrated in the drawings.The components could also be made of different materials such asplastic, and still function as called for in the system design. It isexpected that metal will prove to be the more practical material formanufacture of both the Frame Support and the Hanger.

An Alternative Form of the Frame Support Means

The frame support means could be something totally different from thepreferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2—and, in cooperation with theHanger, still function so as to insure that a stretched canvas would,when hung, rest flush and flat against the wall.

One such frame support means is this: a form of a pin, which could be,for example, a small-diameter long=shank screw eye, or a small-diameterpan head screw, e.g. a 1¼″ No. 2 pan head screw, or another form of apin, inserted part way horizontally into the inside of a vertical framemember (the side of the wood frame underlying the stretched canvas). Theportion of the pin left to “stick outs”—about ⅝—would then be placed onthe ramp (18 in FIG. 2) on top of the Hanger, and it would slide downthe ramp until the picture came to rest against the wall. This variationworks effectively, it will produce the desired result as described abovein connection with the preferred embodiment, but it is judged by theapplicants to be a less attractive alternative. FIG. 5 illustrates thisvariation, in this case showing a pan head screw.

In accordance with the principle of the design of the present invention,whatever support means are chosen would be installed inside the woodframe upon which canvas has been stretched, and in hanging the picture,would be placed on the top of the hangers, on the ramp, and wouldfunction just as do the support means in our preferred embodiment, asillustrated and described. We prefer the “preferred embodiment” asillustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 because as a system it works veryeffectively as intended, while it is also judged to be easier tounderstand and use than the alternatives.

Conclusions, Ramifications and Scope

The present invention Is here described In a few words In the form of asummary, and includes the main benefits in using the system

Frame support means in the preferred embodiment as described areattached to the inside of a wood frame upon which artist canvas has beenstretched. Hangers, in their preferred embodiment and as heretoforedescribed, are nailed to a wall. Said frame is then simply hung on theHangers In doing this, the Frame Supports are placed upon the topsurface of the Hangers, that surface being a ramp that slopes toward thewall. The frame (thus the picture) slides down the ramp by force ofgravity until it comes to rest absolutely flush and flat against thewall. There will be nothing intervening between the picture and the wallno obstruction whatsoever from the hanging hardware. Thus, the objectiveof the present invention, as heretofore stated, is effectively achieved.The Objects and Advantages as summarized on pages 5 and 6 are achieved,and are here restated as follows:

The picture hanging system of the present invention

-   -   a. provides a hanging system for stretched artist canvases which        will make it easy to hang the picture on the wall so that it        will, for best aesthetic appearance, rest absolutely flush and        flat against the wall, will not lean away from the wall even a        little bit (as it does with conventional means), with nothing        whatsoever intervening between the picture and the wall when the        picture is hung;    -   b. provides a system which is simple in concept, easy to        understand and easy to use;    -   c. provides a system which can be used effectively for canvases        stretched on various sizes of wood frames, from small to large,        and in a variety of shapes and dimensions;    -   e. provides a system with components which are easy and        inexpensive to manufacture and which can be sold at retail at a        modest price;    -   f. provides a system with potential appeal to artists, art        galleries and museums, art schools and colleges, artist        associations, dealers and distributors of artwork and pictures        for home or office, dealers in art supplies, installers of        artwork and pictures, as well as, importantly, buyers of        pre-stretched artist canvases and buyers of pictures and        paintings on stretched canvases for homes, offices and public        places, or wherever such artwork may be hung; and    -   g. provides a hanging system potentially adaptable to the        hanging of objects other than art work and paintings on        stretched canvas, where it would be desirable that said objects,        when hung on a wall, rest flush and flat against the wall for        best aesthetic appearance.

Alternative embodiments of the present picture hanging system have beendiscussed, but none seem to the applicants as attractive, from thestandpoint of utility, appeal in the marketplace, or manufacturing cost,as those that have been identified as preferred embodiments.

While the discussion above contains many specifics, these should not beconstrued as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merelyproviding illustrations of presently preferred embodiments and somealternative embodiments. Thus, the scope of the invention should bedetermined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, ratherthan by the examples given.

1. A picture hanging system comprising: a support means intended to beattached to the inside of the top horizontal member of a wood frame uponwhich artist canvas has been stretched, said stretched canvas intendedto be hung without a frame, and a hanger intended to be attached to awall, upon which may be hung a wood frame such as the wood frames usedfor stretched artist canvas intended to be hung without a frame, saidwood frame having attached to it said support means, said support meansintended to rest on the top of said hanger when the picture is hung on awall, and wherein said top of said hanger, which might be called a ramp,is a sloped surface or inclined plane which slopes toward the wall whensaid hanger is attached to a wall, said sloped surface being at least15° from horizontal, said sloped surface intended to have said supportmeans, which have been attached to a frame upon which artist canvas hasbeen stretched, to rest on said sloped surface on said top of saidhanger, said slope intended to cause said wood frame with said canvasstretched on said frame, to slide down by force of gravity on saidsloped surface in the direction of said wall upon which said stretchedcanvas is intended to be hung, and, finally, intended to cause saidframe with said stretched canvas to come to rest flush and flat againstsaid wall on which said picture is hung, and wherein said slopingsurface on said top of said hanger has a shoulder at the end of thesloped region farthest from the wall when said hanger is attached to awall, said shoulder intended to prevent said frame support, and hencesaid picture to which said frame support is attached, from slipping offsaid hanger after said picture is hung, and wherein said hanger in itspreferred embodiment is attached to a wall by means of a nail or pin ofappropriate diameter and appropriate length, intended to be driven at anangle into a wall, said nail or pin directed in an angular directionrelative to said wall by means of the positioning of holes in saidhanger, said angular direction of said nails or pins such as to increasethe weight supporting potential of said hanger, while preventing saidpin or said nail from pulling out of said wall under said weight of saidpicture when hung, thus securing said hanger to said wall, and wherebysaid support means attached to a stretched canvas picture on a woodframe engages with said hanger in such a way as not only to support saidstretched canvas picture when hung on a wall, but to insure that theentirety of said stretched canvas picture, top, bottom and sides, willcome to rest flush and flat against said wall, with no space betweensaid picture and said wall, and with no obstruction whatsoever from thehanging hardware.
 2. The picture hanging system of claim 1 in which saidsupport means and said picture hanger in their preferred embodiment aremade of bendable sheet steel of predetermined gauge and predetermineddimension, and in which said support and said hanger made of steel arethen bright zinc coated or brass coated.
 3. The picture hanging systemof claim 1 wherein both the shape and the dimensions of said supportmeans and of said picture hanger are predetermined and are variable,while consistent in shape and function with the essential principle ofsupport method and the resultant ideal aesthetic appearance of saidstretched canvas picture after it is hung on a wall, as described inclaim
 1. 4. The picture hanging system of claim 1 wherein said supportmeans and said hanger are made of plastic of predetermined composition,in predetermined thickness, in predetermined shape and dimension.
 5. Thepicture hanging system of claim 1 wherein the support means which havebeen attached to a wood frame upon which artist canvas has beenstretched, are in the form of a pin, such pin being of appropriatelength and appropriate diameter, said pin intended to be insertedhorizontally part way into the inside of the vertical member of saidwood frame, thus leaving a portion of said pin to stick outhorizontally, said portion of said pin intended to rest upon said hangerwhen said pre-stretched canvas is hung upon a wall, said pin selectedfrom a list that includes a small diameter wood screw, a small diameterpan head screw, a small diameter long shank screw eye, or another formof pin intended to be used in the manner of pin forms which have beenmentioned.
 6. The picture hanging system of claim 1 wherein said framesupport is attached to said wood frame by means selected from a listthat includes strong adhesive, screws, sharp prongs made as part of saidframe support and intended to be driven into the inside of said woodframe, or attached by other means not specifically identified in thisdocument.
 7. The picture hanging system of claim 1 wherein said framesupport and said hanger are made in such shape and in such size and ofsuch materials as to be able to support virtually any size ofpre-stretched canvas or other similar object which it is desired, whenhung, to be flush and flat against a wall, with no obstructionwhatsoever from the hanging hardware.
 8. The picture hanging system ofclaim 1 wherein said frame support and said hanger are made of suchmaterials and in such sizes, shapes and dimensions as will make saidpicture hanging system suitable for hanging objects other than picturesor stretched artist canvases on a wall, whereby such other objects, whenhung on a wall, will rest flush and flat against said wall, with noobstruction from the hanging hardware.
 9. The picture hanging system ofclaim 1 wherein said sloping surface on said top of said hanger is otherthan 15° from horizontal, while still sloping at an angle that willcause said support means attached to said wood picture frame to slide byforce of gravity toward a wall upon which said picture frame is beinghung, said picture frame then coming to rest flat and flush against saidwall, with no space between said picture and said wall, and with noobstruction from the hanging hardware.